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The word "imperative" means that an action is considered very important. If the imperative thing isn't done, there will be significant consequences.

Usually, it is also implied that there's some kind of authority who is commanding that the imperative thing must be done. An imperative is like an order given by a superior or other authority.

Personally, I wouldn't use the word "imperative" to refer to the necessity to study hard to pass your exam, since it lacks the element command. On the other hand, other people wouldn't necessarily put that connotation on it, so it's not wrong.

Also the past-tense phrase "It was imperative..." strikes me as a bit odd. "Imperative" is almost always used in the present tense, because actions are typically considered vitally important now, whereas they don't seem quite so urgent when you look back on events at some future time. I would probably write something like "It was the expectation of management that you would arrive at the office before 9 am", or simply "You should have been at the office before 9 am."

The word "imperative" means that an action is considered very important. If the imperative thing isn't done, there will be significant consequences.

Usually, it is also implied that there's some kind of authority who is commanding that the imperative thing must be done. An imperative is like an order given by a superior or other authority.

Personally, I wouldn't use the word "imperative" to refer to the necessity to study hard to pass your exam, since it lacks the element command. On the other hand, other people wouldn't necessarily put that connotation on it, so it's not wrong.

Also the past-tense phrase "It was imperative..." strikes me as a bit odd. "Imperative" is almost always used in the present tense, because actions are typically considered vitally important now, whereas they don't seem quite so urgent when you look back on events at some future time. I would probably write something like "It was the expectation of management that you would arrive at the office before 9 am", or simply "You should have been at the office before 9 am."

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The root is Latin, of course, and the Imperator gives commands, not suggestions.

Point of nuance: Write "It is imperative that you study hard in order to pass examination."
The "for" as you use it has spread in vernacular English like creeping Charlie, and will be understood by your audience, but it's a miss. It's a vague stab at the implied meaning. The sense in which an imperative can be "for" something is alien to your meaning - it is not "for" you.

Also, in vernacular, in the apparent context you present, one "passes" via evaluation of a defined entity produced by you, with a beginning and an end, that is evaluated by someone after it is complete. Hence "an" examination, or "the examination", or even "the examinations", rather than the suggestion of an open ended process of continual evaluation of your nature or character or abilities, is more common. You are not wrong, just a bit foreign.

There is another sense of "pass", with implications of deception or fraud (a German "passing" as a Frenchman, a con man "passing" as an expert, a forger "passing" bad checks). In that sense examination is taken as a continuing process or repeatedly encountered situation, rather than an event, and your phrasing would be normal if not common. I don't think you meant to study hard in order to deceive?

Point of nuance: Write "It is imperative that you study hard in order to pass examination."
The "for" as you use it has spread in vernacular English like creeping Charlie, and will be understood by your audience, but it's a miss. It's a vague stab at the implied meaning. The sense in which an imperative can be "for" something is alien to your meaning - it is not "for" you.

Also, in vernacular, in the apparent context you present, one "passes" via evaluation of a defined entity produced by you, with a beginning and an end, that is evaluated by someone after it is complete. Hence "an" examination, or "the examination", or even "the examinations", rather than the suggestion of an open ended process of continual evaluation of your nature or character or abilities, is more common. You are not wrong, just a bit foreign.

There is another sense of "pass", with implications of deception or fraud (a German "passing" as a Frenchman, a con man "passing" as an expert, a forger "passing" bad checks). In that sense examination is taken as a continuing process or repeatedly encountered situation, rather than an event, and your phrasing would be normal if not common. I don't think you meant to study hard in order to deceive? "That" is correct. "Should" conflicts with "imperative" - pick one. "Should" implies recommendation, advice, suggestion, or best practice; "imperative" implies command, requirement, something hardnosed and non-negotiable, a minimum standard.
There is also a problem with the tense - "was" vs "reach".
So: "It is imperative that you reach the office before 9 AM etc - - - " or "It was imperative that you reached the office before 9 AM etc - - "

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is there an ability to bend tense slightly ?
"it was imperative that you had reached the office by 9am" ?
does adding "had" define a more current pretext to the notion of time being noted as important in that instance ?

by adding the "had" does it vaguely suggest there was some type of thing that has been missed rather than the event of missing the time ?

"the imperative had you reached the office, would be 9am"

creating a sentence that in its self is in past tense by its "pro-noun?"

"The imperative you reach the office shall be 9am"
"From 9am should you reach the office, the imperative shall be lost." pre-tense post imperative

Maybe, perhaps, possibly, probablyDo they mean the same thing and can be interchaged?

1. Maybe it is going to rain.
2. Perhaps it will rain in one hour time because the sky is dark.
3. It is possibly to rain today because of the dark cloud in the sky.
4. Probably it will rain very soon because humidity is high.

Everything everyone said here is wrong if they didn't tell you:
The meanings of words are written in dictionaries. Consult encyclopedia's for a more thorough explanation. Consult (actual) experts for an even more thorough treatment of a subject. That's the best you're going to get, but start with the dictionary.

Everything everyone said here is wrong if they didn't tell you:
The meanings of words are written in dictionaries. Consult encyclopedia's for a more thorough explanation. Consult (actual) experts for an even more thorough treatment of a subject. That's the best you're going to get, but start with the dictionary.

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Dictionaries are not very good at providing context, especially when comparing similar words and common usage. And they're worse at defining phrases, such as the examples the OP is asking about.